The Cherished Wife

"Okay, okay, I'll take her away right now. Charles, just cool down, okay? You know she... she didn't mean any of this. Don't hold it against her," Clarisse said, rushing over to grab Janet's hand. "Janet, cut it out, come with me." She leaned in and whispered something that

made Janet's fierce gaze flicker with doubt. "Aunt Clary, are you for real?"

"Have I ever lied to you? Come on. Let's head home."

It took some doing, but Clarisse managed to lead Janet away. Charles squinted, giving the area a quick once-over. The crowd that had been rubbernecking scattered, cowed by Charles's commanding vibe.

Charles's scowl lingered until Clarisse's car was out of sight. Then he tapped on the car door. "Open up, Noelle!"

the middle of changing in the back seat when Janet came charging over like she had lost her mind. It freaked Noelle out so much that she froze, not even daring to breathe too loudly. Her heart was pounding in her throat, especially after

Noelle quickly straightened her clothes

from the back and quirked an

glanced at her outfit. "The front seat's too cramped. It's not great for changing!" she explained, then quickly added, "It's all

lips twitched into a teasing smile. Seeing Noelle's flustered state, he could not

As Charles settled into the driver's seat, Noelle climbed in too. "Janet seemed..." She paused, searching for the right words. Charles, buckling his seatbelt, looked at her with a mix of curiosity and

really worked up, like something was off

she's got some mental issues?" Charles finished her thought, and seeing Noelle's